Stolen
by Vitalini
Summary: There’s been sudden disappearance of people all across the FFVII world, and Midgar is next on the list! Naturally, someone has a grudge against Shinra and the Turks but how does Cloud, Cid, Vincent and the rest of the gang fit into this? Reno mainly


Title: Stolen  
Authoress: Vitalini  
Rating:  
Summary: There's been sudden disappearance of people all across the FFVII world, and Midgar is next on the list! Naturally, someone has a grudge against Shinra and the Turks but how does Cloud, Cid, Vincent and the rest of the gang fit into this? (Reno fans may like)

Warning: Violence- possible bad language- kidnapping, yoai (the list goes on)

Disclaimer: ( only own any original characters and the fic- obviously) Everything else belongs to square enix! They are amazing for having sooo many great characters

Author's note: I've never played FFVII, I've only seen the movie so I apologies for all the errors or mistakes in this, though I would appreciate being corrected Please enjoy and review so I can improve!

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"So another bunch has gone missing?"

Rude's eyes flickered up to the red head leaning over his shoulder. The action was concealed behind his dark shades. Nevertheless, his partner smirked down at him, obviously sensing the movement, as usual.

"What? I can take an interest in the papers too, ya know." was the indignant reply to Rude's silence.

As always Reno accurately interrupted what Rude was thinking; it was an unnerving talent considering Rude rarely ever let anything betray what was on his mind.

The younger male sauntered back to his desk from which he'd wandered. It amused Rude sometimes how Reno could tell what he was thinking, feeling, etcetera, when everyone else couldn't see past his silent and stoic features. Sure, his close colleagues knew what he was like, but with Reno he could hold a conversation without even saying a word. Yet, he'd never been able to fully understand his partner. True, not many Turks were open about their past or personal lives, but still…how could someone so chatty be so evasive and even illusive, whereas he seemed to be able to be read like an open book? Then again, his partner was as complicated as his hairstyle.

"Hey! Don't zone me out!" Reno drawled, the left side of his forehead resting in his palm. His other hand was busy twirling a biro between long slender fingers. He hadn't touched the mission reports laid out in front of him.

"I was just wondering," Rude began, "if this sudden interest in the newspapers has anything to do with you avoiding your paperwork." He finished with a soft smirk gracing his lips.

"I'm not avoiding it!" Reno glared.

"Really?"

Reno briefly glanced guiltily at the mountain of paperwork at the end of his desk.

"Fine..." the red head sighed. He stopped twirling the pen and paused for a moment before swapping it into his left hand.

Rude rubbed his forehead, blinking away sleep. How did his 'lazy' partner manage to stay so energetic, despite the extra work load? The lack of sleep was finally catching up to the quiet Turk. Was this his third or fourth cup of coffee? Finding nothing better to do, he observed his long time partner from the corner of his eye; it never failed as an entertaining past time.

Each time Reno swapped the pen from one hand to the other before starting on a new form or filling in whatever document was in front of him, Rude had to suppress each new urge to smile. He couldn't help but wonder if his young friend was showing off his ambidextrousness on purpose or subconsciously. However, he had no trouble allowing the frown to wrinkle his brow at the sight of Reno's 'handwriting'. Now he thought about it, hadn't the department that made and printed these sheets had to change the format to deal with Reno's infamous handwriting? It effectively reduced the amount of overall writing, though it turned out to be little use for the boisterous second in command of the Turks due to the fact he had always had more paperwork then everyone else anyway. The thing was Rude knew Reno could actually write neater than Elena if he could be bothered - he had the letters and birthday cards to prove it - yet Reno still insisted to pass off that illegible chicken sprawl as writing.

"Don't _you _have work to do?" Reno suddenly spoke up, snapping Rude out of the stupor he didn't realize he was in.

"Finished." He managed to remove all trace of surprise from his voice. Reno looked sideways at him, head stilled bowed over his work. A playful smile on his face, he knew he'd caught his stoic pal off guard. Stretching, the red head decided to switch on the computer, where there most likely _more_ work to do.

Just as the screen lit up, Elena walked in, her blonde hair bobbing as she greeted her slightly older colleagues. Suddenly she let out exasperated sigh: "_Reno_!"

The offending person smiled innocently at her, still leaning on his paper covered desk.

"_Elena_!"

She rolled her eyes; though still considered a rookie, she had a far more serious approach to her work then the second in command did.

"I'm doing it, okay?!" He indicated towards the completed pile with his pen, while his other hand was now preoccupied with playing with the end of his long pony tail as he waited for the computer to load.

Thinking it best not to start the tradional inquiry to her superior's writing capabilities, Elena gracefully retired to her own desk. Rude offered her a faint smile from across the room. For once, her entrance hadn't destroyed the tranquility of the reasonably small office they'd had to cram into as of late. She returned the gesture.

Rude went back to his paper. He could feel the warmth of the light that filtered through the blinds, illuminating the room in a bright, friendly glow. He glanced over at Elena who had started on a mission report, which she just needed to complete. Next to her was a thick book ready for when she finished, which wouldn't be long.

Rude shifted his gaze to Reno, who had discarded his black jacket some time ago as it absorbed the heat from the sunbeams that surrounded him (a problem with having his desk in front of the large window.). The golden light made it seem as though Reno's spiky hair was on fire as he pushed his goggle-like glasses further up to better hold back those long bangs of his. He'd rolled up the sleeves on his shirt which, as usual, was hanging limply off his lank body - the problem with being a very tall stick insect. Currently, the vibrant red head was saving the final document that he'd just completed on the machine. Now he could go back to writing; something the younger Turk greeted with a very audible groan. Personally, Rude was impressed with how much Reno had managed to do; usually he'd have wandered off by now. Thankfully his friend was being studious for a change, meaning no reprimand from his superiors (not that it ever fazed Reno anyway) and that he didn't have to 'help' Reno finish off. Speaking of superiors, where was Tseng? It had been hours since they last heard from him, and that was just his footsteps as he walked past the door.

"Tired?"

The muscular Turk visibly jolted in his seat as he snapped round to face the speaker. Naturally, it was Reno, and he would have been annoyed if it wasn't for the _slight _concern in his partner's eyes that showed through the otherwise teasing expression.

"…"

"Then you should get some sleep, yo." Reno straightened, but didn't move away.

"…"

"Finished." Reno flashed him a cocky grin as he mimicked Rude's earlier tone. The older Turk focused back on Reno's desk, which was shockingly tidy with three neat piles of sheets and files at the end. When did _that _happen? Had he dozed off?

"You're not dreaming." Reno's words brought Elena's attention from her book.

She glanced at the second in command's desk, then did a double take; Rude was sure her expression mimicked his own. The occasion called for a very visible jaw drop.

"Yo, I wish I had a camera!" Reno laughed, "Your faces!"

"Ahem."

Tseng stood in the doorway observing the three surprised Turks now facing him, two already recovering from one shock to the system. He calmly stepped into the room.

"Is that _desk _I see?"

"Yep," Reno's infamous cocky grin beamed from across the small space.

"Well, it certainly puts everyone else's to shame." Tseng commented, now standing before Reno's _clear _work space. "Oh! You've finished your paper work!" The words carried more surprise then the first statement.

"I do it once in a while," was the relaxed reply.

"Once in a blue moon," the leader retorted, "and that's only if were lucky."

"I was bored, didn't have anything better to do" Reno yawned, stretching up before flopping into his chair. "So, what's the latest?"

"Hmm, I don't suppose you've read the papers-" the raven haired man began, but paused when his second in command nodded, "Well, you'll know about the kidnappings then."

All three nodded affirmative.

"In that case, I bet you're curious to know more…."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Excellent," He looked up from the papers he'd been viewing. Three hundred in a single trip - a new record - though admittedly, the town on the Eastern continent had been large.

Before him stood his six most reliable 'collectors', chosen specifically from the GUARD as their tracking, hunting and assassin skills were above average. Their achievements in these areas had allowed them to easily adapt to mainly stealth and observation missions as well as quick and silent 'collection' as they called it.

"What's our next target?"

In answer, he pulled a large map from a cupboard under the desk. It showed the whole of the Eastern continent, though it was unfortunately out of date. Spreading it out over his large desk it covered the documents he'd previously been examining. With an aged finger he pointed to the town his men had recently visited; Junon. The 'collectors' stepped forward; he observed them for a moment, eyes resting on the appointed leader.

"Take your pick," The looked of surprise on his most trusted subordinate's face brought a small grin to his wrinkled face. It wasn't an unexpected reaction - after all, _he _had always decided on where they went. His next words were edged with amusement; "Though bare in mind a few dramatic changes have taken place since this map was published."

He could practically see the cogs working behind those keen eyes. Finally the young man shifted his glasses to their rightful place on his nose, signaling that he'd come to a decision. He pointed on the map.

"Good choice."

………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Soooo, that it?"

"Yes Reno, that's all we know now," the raven haired Turk sighed.

"So what does it mean? For us that is," Elena asked, blonde brows bunching.

"Hn, looks like they're following some sort of pattern, yo," Reno thought aloud, head tilted back staring at the ceiling. "So if they're sticking to it, then Edge or Kalm will be next, yeah?"

"Exactly," Tseng agreed.

"But how does that affect us? Do you think whoever is behind this will be a threat to the President?" Elena continued.

"Well, no one of authority has been taken so far." Rude put in, standing behind Reno's desk looking out of the window. "However, that doesn't really mean a lot."

"Actually, the President wants us to investigate these incidents...though our priority is to protect the citizens and possibly catch those responsible, meaning the usual procedure of investigation will have to be changed." His words were greeted with confusion; perhaps he hadn't explained it very well. "Well, as Reno pointed out, Kalm or Edge should be the next target - presuming they're sticking to the pattern." Tseng paused making sure they were following, particularly Elena. "So we're going to split up - Reno and Rude will remain in Edge and look out for any suspicious activity. Elena and I will do the same but in Kalm. As these incidents have taken place within a few days of each other, I imagine they'll be around fairly soon. That's why we don't have the luxury of going to the already visited areas and gaining more information before hand."

"What if we miss them?" Elena inquired.

"Then depending which town they paid a visit to, we'll meet up in the other, but preferably it won't come to that. From there, we'll form a plan depending on the circumstances." Tseng paused before continuing, "If that fails, then we'll just have to move onto the investigation and hope that leads us to those responsible."

"Okay but – RENO!" Her sudden exclamation made the redhead stop in his tracks.

"What?!" he turned slightly from where he stood in the doorway, a look of innocence on his naturally pale face.

"Where are you going?"

"Err… its closing time and nobody said anything about over time, so for me its leaving and hitting the bar time, yo." He shrugged.

"But we're in the middle of- "

"No, Elena, that's fine." Tseng cut across, glancing at the clock. Reno couldn't help but beam, and was about to carry on going when the raven haired Turk called him back.

"Mind if I joined you - that is, if you're planning on staying in one place?"

Reno's jaw dropped. "Err, y-yeah, sure" He couldn't have sounded more surprised even if he tried. "Yo, what brought this up?"

"We haven't been out for a drink in a while." The redhead's expression changed once again into a smirk knowing it been a lot longer than just 'a while'. "And since you made the effort to tidy your desk and actually do your paperwork, I thought I'd return the...er...gesture by socializing with you, considering the number of times I've declined the offer in the past."

"Don't feel obligated, yo." Tseng words had brightened Reno's mood (especially as he'd thought he was going to be reprimanded for his cheek), and his words came out teasing.

"It'd be a pleasure." The first-in-command assured, good naturedly squeezing the younger man on the shoulder as he walked past Reno, "But first I need to clear a few things up with the President."

"Hey, Rude you comin'?" Reno said once Tseng had disappeared down the corridor.

The bald Turk quickly finished putting his few things away and nodded. He smiled at Elena as he left the small room.

Again the female returned the smile, feeling slightly left out. She could hear Rude instructing Reno on no uncertain terms which bar they were going to, no doubt making sure they went to the quietest of the second-in-command's regulars. Still, she thought, at least she had a lengthy mission alone with a certain dark-haired Turk to look forward to. That brought a real grin to her lips.

"Yo, what are you grinnin' about?" Reno asked as soon as Rude hung up.

"That was Tseng; he'll meet us there at eight…Reno keep your eyes on the ROAD!!"

Reno spun the wheel round, causing the car to spin suddenly and narrowly avoiding the crowd of people it'd been ploughing towards a few seconds ago.

"AHHHH!!" Rude slammed into the door as his partner took another sharp turn to avoid colliding with a truck backing out of a side street.

Five minutes later, when they were finally on the correct side of the road, Rude could begin breathing again (though it was in short and shallow gasps). He glared at the reckless redhead beside him, silently wondering who gave him a driving license.

The younger Turk glanced at Rude. "Eyes...on...the…road!" The bald Turk growled through clenched teeth.

"Rude, you know that's physically impossible." The red head innocently smiled (though his tongue was poking out through his lips) in response to his partners scowl.

"Just watch the road."

"I am!"

"Good."

"Next time, I drive." The larger Turk slammed the door shut. Reno's head popped up from the other side.

"Don't be too hard, yo! Otherwise there won't be a car to drive."

"Humph." Rude stalked off across the road towards the Ne'lafe bar across the street, leaving Reno to lock up.

Reno sighed and trudged after his partner. He noticed quite a few people were already leaving the bar, and though he recognized some of them as regular bar trawlers, he had a feeling the presence of a particularly ticked off Turk might have had something to do with the rather large number of evacuators.

As he descended the stairs that lead to the bar, he mused on how lucky he was that Rude liked him. He remembered one incident years ago when some rookie Turk had pulled a prank on his partner (not half as bad as some of the things he'd done to Rude), and his bald pal had practically punched the poor (though generally disliked) soul through the wall! Nobody had actually minded - the fool had it coming to him. Besides, Reno was the only successful prankster in Shinra, especially now. It was obviously much quieter than what a bar should have been at that time, and he quickly located his partner brooding at the bar. Despite the do-not-come-closer-then-a-hundred-yards aura Rude was emitting, the red head strode silently over, quickly taking the vacant seat on his friend's right.

"…"

"Come on it wasn't _that_ bad."

"I had _five_ near-death experiences in less than fifteen minutes!"

"Nah, it only seemed like that way. I had everything under control..._really_." Reno grinned at him, but his friend didn't look convinced. "Guess I'm better in the chopper after all, yo."

When Rude still didn't respond, he folded his arms and rested his head on them over the counter thus allowing himself to look up at Rude's stoic face, which was stubbornly glaring at his glass of whisky he'd already ordered.

"Rude?"

"…."

"Ruuuuude," he cooed again, softer. Reno unfolded one of his arms in order to prod his partner's hand, trying to get some response, but it was to no avail.

Meanwhile, Rude observed Angela - this bar's owner (and it seemed only bar tender this evening) - smile over at her favorite customer's antics. She'd told him many times how she admired how he put up with 'her' redhead, but he found it strange that she'd become so fond of the infamous Reno. She'd mentioned that as soon as she saw his charismatic partner when he'd first stepped into this place, he'd caught her attention. He had suggested that it may have been Reno's unusual shocking beacon of hair - which Angela happened to be fond of ruffling - or the fact that the plump lady's mothering nature took to heart (the very embarrassing and surprising fact) that Reno was a light drinker.

_It was true_; two whiskeys and The Turk was anybody's, which didn't go down well considering most Turks had a high alcohol tolerance which often came in handy if they were ever drugged. Unfortunately, Reno hadn't been able to build up a drinking history when he was younger. He'd never been able to afford to 'socially' drink until he became a Turk, then as a rookie (and a highly talented one at that, despite being more trouble than he seemed worth most of the time) he hadn't been given much time to socialize. However, that didn't stop him from trying to make up for lost time.

On the many occasions that he'd gotten very drunk, Rude was aware that Angela more or less forced the younger Turk to stay the night on her sofa. You could always tell when this happened as his suit would smell of fresh flowers in the morning, meaning the caring woman had washed it. He was in no doubt either that she mothered and fussed over him at every opportunity, frequently chiding him for being too thin. He knew all this and more due to the numerous times he'd had to come _here_ to pick his partner up to go to work. However, if he was grateful for anything Angela did for Reno, it would be the effort she went through to make him a special drink that had hardly any alcohol in it. This meant the redhead could have a social drink and remain sober for longer then ten minutes, plus he was slowly developing a better tolerance to alcohol in general. Now that he thought about it, though, it was most probably Reno's 'sweet' smile and his vivid aquamarine (or were they jade?) puppy dog eyes - which he was currently using on _him_ -that had earned him a soft spot in the bar owner's heart

He should really thing of a better subject matter to brood over than the person he was currently in a mood with. Damn him!

Of course the woman, after serving some drinks to the remaining customers, quickly came over. She beamed goodnaturedly at them, swiping a graying lock behind her pieced ear. The small gold hoop sparkled in the artificially lighted room.

"What can I get you- hey, get your fuzzy 'ead off my bar!" she laughed, ruffling Reno's spiky hair until he shifted. He was about to answer her question but Rude cut him off.

"He'll have one of his regulars." He had expected his partner to contradict him, and was more then prepared to talk him down. "I won't let you get drunk before Tseng gets here." He murmured once Reno had been subdued into silence. It wasn't often he raised his voice, but the occasion called for it.

"Aww, that's not fair." The redhead whined.

"Take it as revenge." Rude retorted, having his friend's best interests at heart.

"You're a cruel person." Finally, the bald Turk cracked a grin.

For the remaining half hour until the first-in-command arrived, Reno chatted animatedly to Rude who was smiling and nodding, which was a typical conversation between them (remember Reno's mysterious talent). At eight o'clock on the dot, they heard footsteps coming down the small stairway. Both turned, ready to greet their long-time colleague; Rude's already smiling face broadened to the point were he almost showed some teeth. Reno's jaw dropped as he looked past Tseng, noticing the man that had followed him into the bar.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

A/N: well I hope you liked it!

I need to profoundly thank my wonderful goddess of a friend Zoe for prove reading this.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!! And would like everyone to know she is the best.

_Also I hope you don't mind the idea of Reno being a light drinker, just thought it'd be a change. _

Well please read and review I would really **_love_** some constructive comments if its not too much trouble, so I know where to improve, don't be afraid to tell me it is sucks and should burn in the fiery pits of….well anyway, moving on thank you for reading I shall hopefully update soon. Though I still have to do some work on my other stories!


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